Alvarez & Marsal launches first African office in Cape Town
Global consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal has launched its first office in Africa, establishing a base in Cape Town to serve the continent’s third-largest economy and the wider region.
With over 12,000 consultants across more than 40 countries, the US-headquartered firm is one of the world’s leading management consulting organisations. The firm supports clients with services including strategy, performance improvement, restructuring, financial transactions, and digital transformation.
Bryan Marsal, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Alvarez & Marsal, said that the move into Africa is a natural next step in the company’s global growth ambitions and that entering Africa completes its global footprint – with the firm now present across all six continents.
“Demand in Africa is growing for differentiated consulting services. Clients urgently need hands-on support to navigate complexity and a results-driven performance model that unlocks value,” he said. “We follow our clients, and we’re following that demand.”
From its new office in Cape Town, Alvarez & Marsal will advise and support corporates, investors, and governments on strategic, operational, and financial challenges, particularly across infrastructure, energy, utilities, mining, and other heavy industries.
Johan van der Westhuyzen
The new venture will be led by Managing Director Johan van der Westhuyzen, who brings global experience across heavy industry and consulting. He previously spent several years at dss+, its former parent DuPont, and also worked in investment banking at South African-headquartered Investec.
Van der Westhuyzen will work with clients across South Africa and the wider African region, focusing on improving performance, addressing margin pressure, and unlocking value from existing operations.
“Across Africa, organisations are increasingly under pressure to deliver more from existing operations. In many cases, the challenge is no longer strategy alone, but execution under pressure. The gap between intent and consistent frontline delivery is often where performance is lost.”
He added that global shifts – including the energy transition, supply chain realignment, and growing demand for critical minerals – are reshaping industrial and infrastructure priorities across Africa. “South Africa sits at the intersection of many of these dynamics,” van der Westhuyzen explained.
“The country has significant industrial capability and long-term potential, but organisations are also operating in an environment of increasing operational, infrastructure, and financial complexity. Leaders in Africa are being challenged to improve reliability, execute with greater consistency, and build more resilient operations in an increasingly volatile environment.”
Earlier this year, Alvarez & Marsal also opened new offices in Qatar and Bermuda.
